Presque Isle Naturally

Blog move ...Joe Root.... Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:44:00 +0000

Hey all you peeps we are moving this blog. We were invited by the Erie Times and Go Erie to move our blog on over to them. We accepted and it is now up and running. So hop or fly on over to check it out and sign up for our RSS feed there or sign up to receive email updates there. GoErie.com/PresqueIsleNaturally

Hope this will not inconvenience you to much.

Our latest post there is a quest to find where Joe Root is buried. If you have any knowledge of his final resting place we would love to know. You can email us at askjoeroot@gmail.com or pinaturally@gmail.com

And finally Michele and I have brought Presque Isle Naturally to Twitter. So come and join in and follow us as we trek Presque Isle State Park. Twitter.com/PINaturally

We will be leaving this blog in tack for future reference.

One more thing we are acquiring a new contributor. His name is Brian and we will be introducing him on the new blog.

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:34:00 +0000

The black-billed cuckoo is probably most renowned for, well, being heard and not seen. I can’t imagine why this handsome bird would want to hide from the rest of the world! Despite it’s secretive reputation, Toni and I found this bird along Dead Pond Trail at Presque Isle on Saturday the 13th. At first I thought I was hearing a turkey in the brush but then this guy popped up much to our surprise (and delight!). It is quite probable that this is one of a pair of cuckoos that may be nesting on the park. Cuckoos, black-billed and their yellow-billed cousins, aren’t often seen on the park but are believed to nest there in some years. Cuckoos eat primarily caterpillars and the presence of the cuckoos is said to coincide with the availability of their favorite meal.
Toni and I have also been having fun following an active Baltimore Orioles nest and will be sending that your way soon, so....stay tuned for some super cuteness!!

Yummers!

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:25:00 +0000

On a recent trip to Presque Isle to photograph the least bitterns, this eastern kingbird landed on the wire above and feasted on his fresh catch of the day--dragonfly. There were three of us there taking photos and I was lucky enough to be the one just under the kingbird. It took him awhile but he finally got the whole thing down his gullet.Presque Isle, Naturally, has been picked up by our local newspaper, Erie Times News, for their on-line news. They have offered to host us and hopefully do some promotion. We are currently in the process of migrating Presque Isle, Naturally to their server. We'll keep you posted on the progress and let us know when you can visit us at our new home.

Brown Thrasher

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:49:00 +0000

The Brown Thrasher: How cool looking is this bird!?!? Those eyes! I shot this stunner along Dead Pond Trail on Saturday, June 6th. S/He was pretty cooperative, allowing me to take several (100) shots from different angles:) I've always liked the brown thrasher but they tend to be pretty inconspicuous, hanging out in the underbrush scratching up leaves and debris in search of lunch. I was happy for the opportunity to get great looks at this beauty and share some of my luck with you! Thanks, T, for helping me with the luck!
Least Bittern Update: Nothing new to report. No one has seen the bitterns for several days now and it appears the nest has been abandoned:(

FREE BEER!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Huh, I knew I'd get your attention! I think the birders out there know what bird makes the "free beer" call. Yes, that's right, the alder flycatcher! I heard this guy in the woods off Duck Pond Trail and grabbed a few shots before he flew off behind the bar...without giving me my beer:(Oh, well maybe next time!

LEAST BITTERN UPDATE:
I did get a few more shots of the bitterns before the eggs hatched. Word is the eggs hatched on Monday, the 1st of June. As of Thursday there had been little activity observed at the nest per several reports I had heard. The parents were not around much of the time and no chicks were observed. I visited the nest about 5 p.m. on Thursday and was unable to see the adults or the chicks on the nest. My friend, Julie, had been at the nest site on Wednesday late afternoon and saw three chicks. That is the last siting of which I've heard. I am heading down to PISP this afternoon and will keep you posted.

Not the Least Bit Least

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:51:00 +0000

LEAST BITTERN- not a name I would've chosen for this, not the least bit least, bird. Sure, it's the smallest member of the heron family but how 'bout the Diminutive Bittern, not the Least Bittern?!
Oh, well, since I am (thankfully) not in charge of taxonomy: The least bittern that has nested about 40 feet off the road on Niagara Pond certainly has garnered the attention and admiration of birders, nature lovers, photographers and many curious passers-by in the area. It even made the Erie Times News, so it's ranking right up there with the bald eagles. Some have even commented, dare I say, that it is even better than the eagles. I'm sure much of that has due to the proximity and visibility of the nest which provides unheard of opportunities to see the mating and nesting behaviors of these notoriously shy birds. Cornell describes the Least Bittern as "A tiny heron, furtive and surpassingly well camouflaged, the Least Bittern is one of the most difficult North American marsh birds to spot. " Yet, we've been able to watch the bittern couple for nearly 3 weeks now, as they take turns tending to their 5-6 eggs. This is truly a gift to behold. The attentive parents roll the eggs gingerly around the nest and take turns gently incubating the precious pale orbs that house their progeny.
Most sources I have referenced describe the eggs as a very pale blue or green, the eggs in this nest appear to be very pale green. Despite their gentle appearance we have witnessed these protective parents defend their nest vigorously. In the photo above, the male bittern is bothered by a noisy red-winged blackbird gathering material for her own nest which is less than 10 feet from the bitterns' nest.As you can see in this last shot, the cattails are really starting to fill in. I haven't been able to get to the nest for several days and I suspect the nest is almost totally hidden now. The eggs are probably going to hatch very soon if they haven't already. Incubation is 17-21 days and that definitely puts us in the ball park.
I hope to get down to the nest tomorrow and check it out. If I can see anything I'll let you know!

Still More Festival of the Bird Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Tue, 19 May 2009 02:27:00 +0000

Janet Price, President of the Presque Isle Audubon Society (PIAS) addresses the attendees at the wrap up luncheon.

There were, indeed, so many highlights that we could've made a blog just about the festival ;) On Sunday, May 1oth, the 2nd annual Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle drew to an end with some fun family activities including, more birding field trips, lunch with a wrap up of the sightings for the festival, a fledgling artists' workshop, children' activities and a presentation by the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center (see previous post). My esteemed co-blogger, Toni Kelly, was one of the three featured artists along with Kel McDonald and Jan Lutz. All three generously shared their time and expertise helping some enthusiastic artists-to-be create a work of their own.

The final count of different species for this years festival was approximately 120. Many participants reported Life birds and one gentleman reported 5 Lifers!

Fledgling artists work on a Nature Book designed by Toni Kelly.

Marion Gallivan, PIAS Trustee and Chairperson for Grants, already pondering her strategy for next year's festival.Pat Howell, Chair of PIAS Education Committee, addresses the youngsters who attended the Fledgling Artists' Workshop.Our able captain of the pontoon boat, The Swamp Crawler, Julie Leonard!

The Last Birding Class :(

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:35:00 +0000

Well, the 2009 spring birding classes have some to an end. A great big thanks to our mentor and friend, Jerry McWilliams, for his generosity, patience and for being an all around good sport. No questions were too trivial and no ridiculous comments ridiculed. Unfortunately, after class Jerry was caught by the DCNR speeding off the park & creating a disturbance by yelling "Hallelujah, it's over!" repeatedly. He was brought to central booking--a.k.a. the Ranger Station. We all chipped in 5 bucks and posted his bail. A bake sale will be held next week at the Stull Center to retain an attorney for Jerry. There are rumors that Jerry may jump bail and leave the country this week, maybe heading to South America! We're confident he'll stick around so we don't all lose all the money we chipped in for his bail.
The following is an excerpt from Jerry's first correspondence post-incarceration.

We sure lucked out on the weather again. Forecasts were for rain, strong wind, and thunderstorms. It never materialized, at least the rain never came until we were in our cars and leaving the park. The skies remained mostly cloudy with humid temperatures in the low 70's throughout the morning. Joining me for class today was Bernhard & Janet, Toni, Julie Leonard, Michele, Joao, Jean, and Kate. We had a super day of birding with lots of bird activity. We stopped at the Great horned Owls nest. From there we were able to see the top of the owlets head. The adults weren't around.

Pine Tree trail was kind of quiet, except for a fleeting glimpse of a Bald Eagle through the trees. The entrance of Thompson Circle was pretty good with many species of birds to look at, but the prize find was a Black-billed Cuckoo that gave us prolonged views.
Fry's landing was the hopping place to be with many warblers to sift through. Our most interesting finds there were Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Orange-crowned Warbler. We spent most of the morning at Fry's then we stopped to have a look at the Least Bitterns nest. We watched the male rolling the eggs and repairing the nest.
When we went out to the channel to use the restroom with had a Swainson's Thrush out in plain view as well as a Gray-cheeked Thrush, though the latter didn't stick around long. Sidewalk Trail was a little slower than Fry's, but we did manage to turn up another Orange-crowned Warbler and Gray-cheeked Thrush.

We recorded the following 71 species of birds:
Canada Goose--several everywhere
Gadwall--one in Horseshoe Pond Mallard--a couple in Horseshoe Pond and a pair along Thompson Bay
Common Goldeneye--one male in Horseshoe Pond
Least Bittern--one male incubating on a nest
Turkey Vulture--11 over Niagara Pond
Bald Eagle--one over Pine Tree Trail
Cooper's Hawk--one over Fry's landing Killdeer--a couple in beach 11 parking lot
Spotted Sandpiper--one along Beach 11
Ring-billed Gull--a few at Gull Point Herring Gull--at least a couple at Gull Point
Caspian Tern--a couple overhead
Black-billed Cuckoo--one at Dead Pond Trail
Common Nighthawk--one above the owls nest
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--one flying over Sidewalk Trail
Downy Woodpecker-- a couple over Sidewalk Trail
Eastern Wood-Pewee--a couple at Thompson Circle, one or two at Fry's landing, and one on Sidewalk trail
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher--two at Fry's landing
Least Flycatcher--singles at various sites
Great Crested Flycatcher--singles at most sites
Eastern Kingbird--a couple heard
Blue-headed Vireo--one or two at Fry's and one on Sidewalk Trail
Warbling Vireo--one heard singing at the meeting place, The Feather
Red-eyed Vireo--fairly common throughout
Blue Jay-several throughout
American Crow--one at Thompson Bay
Purple Martin--four over beach 11
Tree Swallow-several throughout
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--two along Beach 11
Barn Swallow--several throughout
Red-breasted Nuthatch--two at Fry's landing
House Wren--several throughout
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--one along Pine Tree trail
Veery--singles at various sites with one singing at Fry's landing
Gray-cheeked Thrush--one at the channel and one on Ridge Trail
Swainson's Thrush--singles at several sites including one singing along Pine Tree Trail
Wood Thrush--a couple singing at Fry's landing
American Robin--several throughout
Gray Catbird--many throughout
European Starling-little groups at a few sites
Cedar Waxwing--about 20 flying past the owl site
Orange-crowned Warbler--one at Fry's landing and one on Sidewalk Trail
Nashville Warbler--one at the channel
Northern Parula--one heard singing at Fry's landing
Yellow Warbler--several everywhere
Chestnut-sided Warbler--more than 40 throughout
Magnolia Warbler--more than 40 throughout
Black-throated Blue Warbler--more than 30 throughout
Palm Warbler--at least a few at several sites
Bay-breasted warbler--at least a dozen at Fry's landing and two or three on Sidewalk Trail
Blackpoll Warbler--one heard out the window while driving along the road Black-and-white-Warbler--at least a dozen altogether
American Redstart--more than 50 all total
Ovenbird--at least four heard and one seen briefly at Fry's landing
Northern Waterthrush--a couple at Fry's landing and one on Sidewalk Trail
Common Yellowthroat--several at most sites, mostly heard only
Hooded Warbler--one female seen briefly and another bird heard at Fry's landing
Wilson's Warbler--One at Thompson Circle, one or two at Fry's landing, and one or two on Sidewalk Trail
Canada Warbler--one or two at each site
Eastern Towhee--several at most sites
Chipping Sparrow--two in beach 11 parking lot
Swamp Sparrow--a few heard singing
White-throated Sparrow--one or two at each site
White-crowned Sparrow--some along the road, at beach 11 parking lot, and three on Sidewalk Trail
Northern Cardinal--one male at Thompson Circle
Rose-breasted Grosbeak--one heard at Fry's landing, and one seen on Ridge Trail
Red-winged Blackbird--a few at most sites
Brown-headed Cowbird--a few at most sites
Baltimore Oriole--several throughout American Goldfinch--two at Beach 11 parking lot

~Jerry McWilliams (Instructor)

Thanks and Good Luck to you Jerry and if you do go on the lam--YOU OWE ME 5 BUCKS!

More Bird Festival highlights: Live Raptors from Tamarack

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:50:00 +0000

Sunday afternoon of the bird festival we had Sue DeArment of Tamarack Rehabilitation and Education Center present two shows on live raptors. The Sunday afternoon programs were free to children and families who filled the classrooms with standing room only. The kids were anxiously awaiting as Sue DeArment talked a little bit about Tamarack and what to expect as she brought out each raptor for viewing. She said the birds were used to being photographed and that flash from cameras was allowed so many viewers brought out cameras and cell phones for the photo opportunities. The four raptors sue brought are permanent residents of Tamarack because of injuries that prevent them from being released back into the wild.

The first bird Sue brought out was a Cooper Hawk named 'Spaz'. Sue walked up and down the aisle talking about hawks and their characteristics stopping every so often to allow listeners to photograph the birds.

Here Sue was talking about the claws and padding of the feet.

Next Sue brought out a Peregrine Falcon named 'Pierre'. The injured falcon was taken to a vetrinarian who set his wing which was broken but did not realize falcons will bite their limbs to free themselves. Pierre had bit through tendons in his wing thinking he was trapped and now he cannot fly and his injured wing droops. He was brought to Tamarack after his self inflicked injury.

I love how the birds look and respond to Sue as she talks to them.

Next up was the Barred Owl 'Sophia'. There were lots of questions about Owls as Sue explained their habits and characteristics.

As you can see by Sue's shirt Barred Owls are one of her favorites.

The last raptor to be shown was a Great Horned Owl named 'Ick-A-Bobette'. This owl was not to happy when Sue first brought him out. The tufts of feathers on his head laid back as he tried to search his surroundings, but as Sue talked to him, he calmed down and raised the feather tufts to a normal position.

Sue explained what happens to birds if they should get a head injury and their eye sight is disrupted. This owl had fallen from the nest when it was young and the head injury affected his sight. He now has cataracts in his one eye.

If you are interested in learning more about Tamarack or would like Sue do a presentation for your school or club check out the details here on Tamaracks web site.

Up next Michele will be writing about our last class we had on Saturday and also about the Least Bittern. Her photos are awesome and we just might coax Michele into posting the baby great Horned Owl photos.

Festival of the Birds 2009-Keynote Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:05:00 +0000

Saturday evening was spent tallying birds, recounting almost unbelievable bird sightings (see photo above), and enjoying the company of friends, old and new. Dinner was a delicious success as festival participants enjoyed great food and a wonderful keynote address given by Dr. Gene Wilhelm. His topic was Birding: Past, Present and Future and served not only to entertain but to inform and educate the audience about the roots of birding and where he expects it may go in years to come. Some of the highlights for Saturday, as mentioned in the program evaluations, included the pontoon boat rides which were added this year (Many thanks to our captain, Julie, and to the DCNR for allowing us to use the pontoon boat!); naturally, the 120 birds sighted (especially Sam Stull's find-see photo above) and the wonderful camaraderie. Perhaps, the "star" birds were the pair of nesting Least Bitterns. They will get a post of their own in coming days:)

Mr. Bittern stands guard and incubates the 3-4 eggs.

Even the most experienced birders refer to their favorite field guide from time to time. Keynote Speaker, Dr. Gene Wilhelm, discusses the future of birding with festival participants.
Joao and company add to the bird tally as of Saturday.
As the Saturday festivities wound down, everyone looked forward to another wonderful day of birding on Sunday. Stay tuned for highlights of the final day of the 2009 Festival of the Birds.

Migrating Birds Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:10:00 +0000

One of my favorites a Chickadee

Friday nights weather was absolutely perfect for bringing in migrating birds. The Southwest winds were a bit cool as the front came but soon turned warm as hundreds of birders descended on Presque Isle for our 2nd Annual Bird Festival.
I went prepared for a full day of activities starting with my birding class. Our first stop was the banding station and they were already in full swing catching warblers, sparrows, and more. I later found out from Tom LeBlanc they caught a Chat, wish I could have seen that one.
I knew Tom was going to be in Erie with his group from Jamestown, NY and we ran into each other near Niagara Pond where everyone was fascinated by the Least Bittern nest. It was wonderful seeing Tom again and I got to meet Patty. What a great couple. I'm looking forward to seeing them at the Nature Pilgrimage.
Our class maneuvered through several trails Saturday morning weaving through birders catching glimpses of Yellow Warblers, Magnolia Warblers, Northern Parula, Sparrows, Vireo's, and one of my favorite finds an Indigo Bunting. But the Least Bittern stole the show for the weekend as we watched both female and male taking turns on the nest, turning the egg and fixing the nest. What a thrill for all.
We did not come across one disappointed birder because our feathered friends were putting on quite a show for everyone.

Michele and I will have more about the festival including:
the Live Raptors - Up close show by Sue DeArment from Tamarak.
And a video of the Least Bittern that Michele was able to capture.

She doesn't get noticed much next to her male counterpart.
Female Red Wing Blackbird

I just love this Magnolia Warbler!

Female: Least Bittern

Male: Least Bittern

Gotta keep the egg turned!

Here is our list of birds from class:
We recorded 65 species of birds including the following:

Canada Goose--many scattered around the park
Wood Duck-- a male near the owls nest
Mallard--a few flying overhead
Wild Turkey--one heard gobbling along Pine Tree Trail
Double-crested Cormorant--one distant one flying well south of Dead Pond Trail
Least Bittern--one female on a nest at Niagara Pond
Great Egret--one over Niagara Pond and later off Sidewalk Trail
Green Heron--one along Sidewalk Trail
Turkey Vulture--four from beach 11 parking lot
Osprey--one distant bird past Niagara Pond
Bald Eagle--one immature over Niagara Pond carrying a fish
Broad-winged Hawk--one adult flying low directly over our heads at Fry's landing
Killdeer--one in Beach 11 parking lot and one over Lawrence's boat launch
Ring-billed Gull--singles overhead
Herring Gull--singles overhead
Mourning Dove--a few along Pine Tree Trail
Red-headed Woodpecker--one flying past Pine Tree Trail
Northern Flicker--one heard near Sidewalk Trail
Least Flycatcher--heard at least four, and we saw three others
Great Crested Flycatcher--mostly heard, but we did get glimpses of one at Fry's landing and Pine Tree Trail
Eastern Kingbird--one at the second parking lot and one at Lawrence's boat launch
Blue-headed Vireo--a couple at Thompson Circle
Warbling Vireo--a couple heard and one seen at Thompson Circle and a couple on Sidewalk Trail
Red-eyed Vireo--one heard and one seen at Fry's landing
Blue Jay--several overhead
American Crow--one at Thompson Circle
Tree Swallow--several overhead
Bank Swallow--one on a wire at Niagara Pond
Black-capped Chichadee--one on Pine Tree Trail
House Wren--several heard though none seen
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--singles at Pine Tree trail, Fry's landing, and Sidewalk Trail
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--one at Fry's landing
Eastern Bluebird--two flying over beach 11 parking lot
Thrush species--one flew across the trail at Thompson Circle
American Robin--a few at various sites
Gray Catbird--many throughout
Cedar Waxwing--several overhead at Fry's landing
Nashville Warbler--a couple heard at Fry's landing
Northern Parula--one at Fry's landing
Yellow Warbler--everywhere on the park
Chestnut-sided Warbler--singles at most sites
Magnolia Warbler--singles at Fry's landing and a few along Sidewalk Trail
Black-throated Blue Warbler--at least one at Fry's landing
Yellow-rumped Warbler--several scattered throughout
Blackburnian Warbler--one at Fry's landing
Pine Warbler--one heard singing on Pine Tree Trail
Palm Warbler--several at most sites
American Redstart--one male along Sidewalk Trail
Ovenbird--a couple heard at Fry's landing
Common Yellowthroat--several heard throughout, but we did get a brief look at one on Sidewalk Trail
Eastern Towhee--several at a few sites
Chipping Sparrow--one at Niagara boat launch on the split rail fence
Song Sparrow--one in the hand at the banding station
Swamp Sparrow--several heard singing on Niagara Pond and along Sidewalk Trail and Pine Tree Trail
White-throated Sparrow--several with most seen along Sidewalk Trail
White-crowned Sparrow--almost everywhere especially along the roadways
Northern Cardinal--one along the road near Pine Tree Trail
Rose-breasted Grosbeak--one heard at Fry's landing and one seen on Sidewalk Trail
Indigo Bunting--one male on Sidewalk Trail
Red-winged Blackbird--several throughout, especially at Niagara Pond
Common Grackle--one flying past Pine Tree Trail
Brown-headed Cowbird--several at various sites
Baltimore Oriole--everywhere in the trees
Pine Siskin--at least 75 flying past the second parking lot when the leader first arrived
American Goldfinch-singles overhead at various sites

Jerry McWilliams (instructor)

May One: Linda's One-A-Day Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (LindaMcW) — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:36:00 +0000

Marsh Blue Violets (Viola cucullata)

This year's roadside violets formed patches so dense that they looked like puddles of purple paint. These are growing beside Peninsula Drive near the 0.9-mile mark at the dirt road that goes past the boardwalk and viewing platform and back to Leo's Landing.

Marsh Blue Violet (Viola cucullata)

The short, thick white hairs at the base of the two side leaves are the identifying feature of this species. A magnifying glass shows that each hair is swollen at the tip.

Black Morel (Morchella elata)

Yum! This single mushroom sprang up overnight in the violet patch pictured above. Yesterday, when it was still only April, there was no sign of it. The magic of May, I hope to demonstrate, is that day after day, something materializes from nothing--webs of green tissue from pure, invisible energy; delicious gourmet treats from wet, sandy mud; and singing chips of color raining down from overhead streams of migrants.

Festival of the Birds: Let the Festivities Begin!

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Sat, 09 May 2009 11:04:00 +0000

Diane and Judy on the job at the registration table.

Well, the 2nd annual Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle kicked off last night with registration and an Artists' Reception at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Wind, Sand and Song: Presque Isle's Habitat, a magnificent film about the varying habitats present at PI was shown. Film-maker Tracy Graziano and her husband Ben Konewicz were on hand to answer questions for the audience. After the showing of the film, *Quackers & Cheese and hors d'oeuvres were served and the beer, wine, and sparkling grape juice flowed. Everyone was looking forward to a wonderful weekend of birding...stay tuned for updates.

Marcy and Pat discuss birding hotspots on the park. Steve D., bartender extraordinaire, testing his wares.PIAS President-Elect, Mary Birdsong, chats with friends.Participants from around the state and east coast flocked here for the festival. *Many thanks to our wonderful sponsors: Mazza Winery and Line X Erie for the wine, The Brewerie at Union Station for the beer and Welch's for the sparkling grape juice.

Now Is the Month of Maying

noreply@blogger.com (LindaMcW) — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Hi! Linda McWilliams here, Jerry’s other half, as Michelle described me in her posting last Saturday. She also caught me on camera, waist-deep in the cottonwood saplings on Beach 11, looking through my own camera lens. I was documenting the first appearance of silverweed on Presque Isle this year.

The year's first sprouts of silverweed.

Silverweed (Argentina anserina) is a rare plant in Pennsylvania. Presque Isle is the only place in the state that offers the sandy shore it requires for its habitat--seven miles of beach and at least seven more of bayshore. You can see for yourself how silverweed thrives and spreads if you go to Leo’s Landing at the 0.9 mile marker on the multipurpose trail and walk back the dirt road. Silverweed hugs the ground on the bay side of the road. Its runners creep across the road toward the marsh on the other side, but there’s enough car traffic to keep most of it from getting to the other side. The leaves are only an inch long now, but they will get to be as long as eight inches before summer is over. Each one is divided into many leaflets with deeply cut, sharply saw-toothed edges.

Turn over the leaf to find the silver.

You don’t need to wait for the flowers to bloom in order to identify silverweed. (They’ll have five bright yellow-gold petals.) For now, just turn over a leaf. If you’ve found silverweed, you’ll see silky white hairs on the underside, which reflect a pale metallic silver light, and gave the plant its name. The French, noting that this plant produces both silver AND gold, call it richette.

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May Day! For me, it’s another New Year. My celebration of the January New Year involved grim resolution: jutted chin, clenched teeth, tensed muscles, daunting effort. The New Year that comes in May is an entirely light-hearted affair. It involves warm sun that beguiles us to shed layers of clothing, it rains Vitamin D down upon our bare skin, and it reactivates our feel-good hormones.

The month is named after the Greco-Roman goddess Maia, the eldest of her seven sisters, the most beautiful, and the shyest. Maia was the goddess of springtime, warmth, increase, fertility, and beginnings. She and her sisters form the constellation Pleiades, which rises above the eastern horizon in May and can be seen just before sunrise. The chance of spotting them is sufficient motivation to set my alarm and get up at 6:00. If that doesn’t work for you, you can see the Pleiades--even on cloudy nights, even in broad daylight--on any passing Subaru. The six stars in its logo are meant to represent the constellation Pleiades, which is called Subaru in Japanese. The reason there are only six stars is that they also stand for five related Japanese industries and their parent company.

In my own personal mythology, May is the time of year when the auxiliary verb “may” changes in its predominant usage. “May” usually suggests a possibility (“We may be able to ride our bikes this weekend”), but makes no firm promise (“This may be the last snowstorm of the season”). But when April is over, “may” becomes an active--yea, even a boisterous--verb.

Look at Thomas Morley’s famous madrigal, “Now Is the Month of Maying.” In it, and in May of every year before and since, “to May” means to play, to sport, to sing “Fa la la,” to “dance upon the greeny grass,” and to enjoy all of “youth’s sweet delight.” In Oxford, even to the present day, it means racing boats during exam week. To me it means going out to Presque Isle with my bike, my kayak, my camera, my binoculars, or my field notebook.

I’ve formed a hypothesis this year: I believe that if I go out into the May, I will be able to find some new phenomenon every day for 31 days in a row. A warbler on its way to Canadian breeding grounds. A leaf where yesterday there was only a bud. A flower in bloom. A newly hatched chick or polliwog. I’ll limit my search to Presque Isle. That will give me 3,200 acres to tramp and paddle and 25 miles of trails to bike and hike.

Will this be easy to prove? Or even possible? There are more that 31 birds that return in May or pass through in migration, but they don’t arrive with one-a-day regularity. Plants, though--there are hundreds of species on the park, and most of them will be creating like crazy in May, working magic, making something out of nothing, converting invisible energy into living green tissue, building umbrellas to protect their flowers, painting stripes to attract pollinating insects...Botany will be my mainstay in this project.

Now, let us go a-Maying.

Birding Class #6: "Palm Wonderful!"

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:10:00 +0000

The following is a transcript from Jerry McWilliams, our birding instructor and guru of all things wing'd.
It was cool, but we had some sun, which made it comfortable birding. Another nice gathering of birders including, Bernhard & Janet, Kate, Philip, Toni, Julie, Michele, Joao, Julie Dell, Judy, Jean, and Linda.

Jerry's other half, Linda, Guru of All-Things-Greenand soon to be co-author of Presque isle, Naturally!

We started off with a beautiful pair of Baltimore Orioles at our meeting place then a stop at the banding station where they were just setting up, so we decided to stop back later and have another check. At the owls nest we found the adult bird sitting high on the nest, exposing its entire head and upper body. Apparently the young owl was nestled down and beneath the parent, since we didn't see it. The trails were quite slow this morning with only a handfull of warbler species, though we did see numerous Palm Warblers (See top photograph). We had great views of perched American kestrels and an immature Bald Eagle that circled over Pine Tree Trail.

Very distant shot of the kestrel. This immature bald eagle circled over Pine Tree Trail quite a few times.

At beach 11 we saw a distant flock of Common Terns and what looked like a Peregrine Falcon that put up all of the gulls. There were still some ducks hanging around off beach 11, but mostly scaup and Bufflehead. Even the banding station was slow with their best bird being a Grasshopper Sparrow. We did get some up close and personal looks at a House Wren and a Gray Catbird.

We recorded 55 species of birds today:

Canada Goose--several throughout

Mallard--a few at various sites

Redhead--one in Thompson Bay

Greater Scaup--three or four in Thompson Bay

Lesser Scaup--about a dozen in Thompson Bay

Bufflehead--about 20 off beach 11

Red-breasted Merganser--a couple along beach 11

Wild Turkey--a male on the sand mound at Beach 10 parking lot

Common Loon--one bird calling in Presque Isle Bay off the banding station

Double-crested Cormorant--four seen from Pine Tree Trail

Great Blue Heron--at least three flying over Thompson Bay

Great Egret--one over Pine Tree Trail

Bald Eagle--one first year bird over Pine Tree Trail

Sharp-shinned Hawk--one flew in front of the car near beach 11

American Kestrel--two or three along Pine Tree Trail

Peregrine Falcon--one possible bird over Gull Point

American Coot--several off beach 11

Killdeer-- a few heard and seen

Ring-billed Gull--a few at Gull Point

Herring Gull--several scattered around the park

Caspian Tern--a few flying over Gull Point

Common Tern--30 flying well off Gull Point

Mourning Dove--two or three along Pine Tree Trail

Great Horned Owl--one on the nest

Downy Woodpecker--territorial rapping at several sites

Northern Flicker--one along Pine Tree Trail

Blue Jay--several flying over Beach 11 and a few at Niagara Pond

American Crow--several scattered throughout

Tree Swallow--several overhead

Barn Swallow--several overhead

Black-capped Chickadee--at least a couple along Pine Tree Trail

White-breasted Nuthatch--one heard on Pine Tree Trail

House Wren--one heard on Pine Tree Trail and one at Fry's landing

Ruby-crowned Kinglet--a few along the trails

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--single birds on each trail

Hermit Thrush--one on Pine Tree Trail

American Robin--several at various sites

Gray Catbird--two or three along the trails

Brown Thrasher--one on Dead Pond Trail

European Starling--several on the ground at various places

Nashville Warbler--one at Fry's landing

Yellow Warbler--fairly common everywhere, but most heard only

Black-thoated Blue Warbler--one at Fry's landing

Yellow-rumped Warbler--a few along the trails

Palm Warbler--fairly common everywhere and the most frequently seen warbler

Common Yellowthroat--one singing on Pine Tree Trail

Eastern Towhee--three or four heard singing along the trails

Song Sparrow--a couple on Dead Pond Trail

Swamp Sparrow--one or two along Niagara Pond

White-throated Sparrow--one heard along Pine Tree Trail

Red-winged Blackbird--several scattered throughout the park

Brown-headed Cowbird--several around the park

Baltimore Oriole--singles and pairs at several locations

Purple Finch--one immature male singing on Pine Tree Trail

American Goldfinch--one over beach 11 parking lot

The Black-Throated Blue: our obsession with this bird cost us a view of the Nashville Warbler. C'est la vie!

Toni and I have been extremely busy getting ready for the Festival of the Birds! It promises to be a very exciting event and last year was "Sold Out". I'm not sure how many tickets remain, but if anyone is interested in attending click here for details and registration information. Toni and I will be presenting a workshop on Nature Blogging. Also, some of our works, along with those of other local artists, will be on display during the festival and for the next six weeks. If you can't make it to the festival but want to see the largest variety of migrating birds around, you must visit Presque Isle State Park within the next three weeks!! Things are a hoppin'! If you do plan a trip and need a some directions or advice for hot spots, drop Toni and I an e-mail.

'Whispers Across the Pond' by Eugene Ware

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:24:00 +0000

What Inspires you? Perhaps it is the morning dew on a spider web or the scent of Pine trees in the early morning light. The sun rising above the waters edge and setting among a sea of purple, pink and yellow clouds that are mirrored across this Great Lake of ours. The inland trails whisper to you to come forth and experience all that nature has to give. Presque Isle has been inspiring artists, writers and musicians for decades.

Eugene Ware's new book of prose, poetry and personal reflections, 'Whispers Across the Pond' takes you on a visual journey through words, painting for you scenes that touch all your senses along with photographs to enhance the beauty of the words and draw you even closer to nature.

Here is an excerpt from the web site WhispersAcrossThePond.com by Gene,
" Through my writing, I try to share with the reader my belief that in many ways the natural world gently shapes people’s beings, and thus their lives. Through the poetry, images and prose contained within these pages, I seek to tell personal stories and experiences relating to nature, and hope in some way to provide a means to help unravel personal dreams and anguishes. The goal of my writing is to transport you into the natural realm and let you walk beside me as I explore this special world. I hope you enjoy “Whispers Across the Pond”, and my attempt to paint the beauty and constantly changing face of nature with words and images."

An interview with Eugene Ware:

Toni: "How long have you been writing prose and poems?"

Gene: "I have been writing for about ten years. Poetry for six and prose ten. Poems started as fun and now are very important to me. I am working on writing two new potential books. One is a novel and the other is a history of Presque Isle."

Toni: "In your last prose of the book you mention your writing journal and nature notes, do you take your journal with you always along with your camera?"

Gene: "When I go anywhere I have a camera and for the last year I have a notebook. The journal is transferred to a loose-leaf notebook I try to keep by subject. Notice I said 'try'. I am not always successful with this. The nature journal is a beat-up notebook I keep when I am walking on P.I or anywhere else."

Toni: "What does it mean to you to be able to write your thoughts down?"

Gene: "Ideas, phrases, reflections and such come up at anytime and I try to keep track of them. I am always finding bits of paper I wrote an idea down on tucked away i9n my pockets, the car or on backs of magazines. I think it drives Nancy crazy."

Toni: "Does writing inspiration follow you throughout the day? If so do you write and take notes as thoughts and ideas come to you?"

Gene: "My feeling dictate my writing. Some days, I just can’t write other I may write 4,000 to 5,000 words. Ideas for poems at times just seem to write themselves. For example, Rat-a-Tat Tat was written in just 20 minutes one day I was totally bored at work."

Toni: "What would you like to your readers to experience as they read your work?"

Gene: "The readers of my work should experience what I did when I wrote the poem. I like to write so they can see, feel and hear what I did."

Toni: "Would you encourage others to write in a journal and if so any thoughts as to what to write or how?"

Gene: "A journal is a good idea for any writer. One thing writers should consider is doing what is called morning papers. These are writing just for yourself. You do this each day, I do it in the morning, and all you do is write three pages of anything that comes into your mind. It can and will sometimes be, I can’t think of anything to write, over and over. However, after a while you will find that your deepest thoughts will jump onto paper. Remember, this is for YOU ONLY, no one else should read it."

(For more information about Morning Pages read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron)

Toni: "You have written two other books can you tell us about them?"

Gene: "Moods of Presque Isle is similar to Whispers in that it is prose and poetry with photographs of Presque Isle. It has been out for about 5 years and continues to sell well.
A walk on the Park - - Written two years ago outlines and describes 20 walks you can take on Presque Isle. It tells about the trails, animals, plants and history that are the Park. It was designed to take with you as you walk and explains what you see as you walk. It has sold well and again continues to sell very well."

Toni: "Any last minute thoughts you wish to share with our readers?"

Gene: "My thoughts on nature and Presque Isle are that all parents should begin to involve their children in nature and less in organized sporting activities. While sports are great, the child will get more out of nature in the long run than he or she will ever get out of sports. Over the years experiencing the outdoors and nature seems to have taken a back-seat to other activities. It is amazing when I hear children say they have NEVER taken a walk in the woods and they have no idea what wild animals live on Presque Isle.
It is my firm belief that we need to bring nature into the lives of our children as early and often as possible.

Toni: "Thank you Gene for the interview and for a wonderful book of prose and poetry. I felt every word and experienced your walks in every step."

You can purchase 'Whispers Across the Pond'
locally at:
the gift shop at the TREC
Presque Isle Gallery Coffeehouse

and online:
from Xlibris
and Amazon

Birding Class #5: Can it Get Any Better Than This?

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:47:00 +0000

What a wonderful day of birding today at Presque Isle! The weather was warm with an occasional light breeze blowing from the northwest and just a few episodes of cloud cover that were actually a welcome relief. Yes, I'll say it, it was almost too warm:) Migration seems to be getting well underway as we saw a few new species for the year. Our class also had a few newcomers as well. Enjoying today's class were Nancy, Diane, Philip, Kate, Judy, Pat, Janet, Bernhard, Julie Dell, Toni, Julie Leonard, Michele, Joao, Linda, and Jean.

There's me, always looking the other direction.Here's Janet and company scoping out some warbler activity on Pine Tree Trail.

Pat Howell was lucky to see a Northern Mockingbird fly across the road in front of her as she entered Vista 2. More kudos for Pat--One of our first of year birds was a white-eyed vireo that Pat was able to identify by it's call. Excellent ears Pat! After a few moments of searching we were able to spot a pair.

Still no young Great Horned Owls in view, but one of the parents was dutifully stting in the nest.
We found bird activity almost everywhere we stopped. We had some very nice views of a pine warbler that are sometimes difficult to see in the dense pine trees they frequent.

We also had a pretty cooperative blue-headed vireo. Notice the conspicuous white ring around the eye that really stands out against the blue-grey head.
In all we recorded 60 species of birds today:
Canada Goose--several at many sites
Wood Duck--several pairs, with some in trees, especially visible near the owl's nest
Mallard--a few around at various sites
Northern Shoveler--at least a pair at Niagara Pond
Ring-necked Duck--a few in Niagara Pond
Greater Scaup--a pair flying over Niagara Pond
Lesser Scaup-- a few in Niagara Pond
Bufflehead--four in Niagara Pond
Red-breasted Merganser--six flying over Niagara Pond
Wild Turkey--birds near beach 10 parking lot including one strutting male
Double-crested Cormorant--a string of birds high over Niagara Pond
Great Blue Heron--one over Thompson Bay and a couple over Niagara Pond
Great Egret--two over Fry's landing
Turkey Vulture--several flying over and around Niagara Pond
Sharp-shinned Hawk--two or three along Pine Tree Trail
Red-tailed Hawk--one immature over Niagara Pond
American Coot--a few in Niagara Pond
Killdeer--a couple calling overhead
Bonaparte's Gull--a few flying around the park, but especially over Presque Isle Bay
Ring-billed Gull--singles overhead
Herring Gull--single immatures overhead
Caspian Tern--a few, with at least a couple showing well over Niagara Pond
Mourning Dove--three or four flybys at Pine Tree Trail
Great Horned Owl--one adult on the nest
Belted Kingfisher--one or two at Fry's landing and over Niagara Pond
Downy Woodpecker--at least a couple
White-eyed Vireo--two at Niagara boat launch and one at one on Pine Tree Trail
Blue-headed Vireo--two at Thompson Circle
Warbling Vireo--one at Thompson Circle
Blue Jay--at least a couple at Niagara Pond
American Crow--a few flying overhead
Tree Swallow--several, especially visible on the wires at Niagara Pond

Case in point!

Barn Swallow--at least a couple overhead
Black-capped Chickadee--one near the owls nest and a couple on Pine Tree Trail
Red-breasted Nuthatch--one on Pine tree Trail
White-breasted Nuthatch--one heard on Pine Tree Trail
Brown Creeper--one at Thompson Circle
Golden-crowned Kinglet--one heard on Pine Tree trail
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--at least a few along all of the trails
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--several at each stop at the east end of the park
Hermit Thrush--one on Dead Pond Trail and one on Pine Tree Trail
American Robin--just a few at various sites
European Starling-- a few overhead
Black-throated Blue Warbler--one on Pine Tree Trail
Yellow-rumped Warbler--many at several sites
Black-throated Green Warbler--singles on Pine Tree Trail, Fry's landing, and Thompson Circle
Pine Warbler--several close looks at the above sites
Palm Warbler--several on the trails at the east end of the park
Black-and-White Warbler--one at Fry's landing and one at Thompson Circle
Eastern Towhee--several throughout, mostly heard
Chipping Sparrow--several heard singing at various sites
Song Sparrow--one or two heard singing
Swamp Sparrow--two or three singing in Niagara Pond
White-throated Sparrow--several throughout, but most evident alon Pine Tree Trail
Northern Cardinal--one or two heard singing
Red-winged Blackbird--several, especially territorial males, at a few locations

Now that's territorial!!

Common Grackle--dozens overhead
Hairy Woodpecker--near GHOW nest
Brown-headed Cowbird--several throughoutPurple Finch--one or two along Pine Tree Trail
Others stuff of note seen:
Common Green Darner (dragonfly), Mourning Cloak (butterfly), Spring Azure (butterfly)

Yes, spring has truly sprung!

Thanks for stopping by and a big THANK YOU to Jerry McWilliams for sharing his knowledge and allowing us to use his class synopsis for the blog each week.

Stay tuned for our next posts including interviews with Gene Ware about his new book, Whispers Across the Pond; Tom Wasilewski from the Presque Isle Audubon Societies Eagle Watch Program about the program's current local bald eagle monitoring activities.

Bird Migration Week 4

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Ann retrieving a Sparrow from the mist net

Saturday was absolutely glorious with perfect weather for our class and the Hawk Festival. We met at Vista 2 but didn't spend much time there because it was the first day of trout season so the bay had more fishermen and boats than waterfowl. So our first stop was at the Niagara Boat Launch to check out the banding station. Sarah and the girls started banding this week so I finally got to meet Ann and Andrea the new interns for the season. This was the first time for most of the students to see mist nets and how the birds are caught and retrieved from the nets. I was excited for them seeing this for the first time.

Our next stop was the Great Horned owl nest and we think we saw a little head popping up. I'm sure we will get a better look next week. While at the Owl nest a Pileated woodpecker flew by and landed briefly in a distant tree. Now it was my turn to jump for joy because I have never seen a Pileated woodpecker before. Check one more bird off my life list.

Phoebe at Pine Tree trail

Yellow-rumped Warbler at Pine Tree trail (wanted you to see the yellow patch on the head)

We then headed for Pine Tree Trail where we saw several Phoebes, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Gold Crown Kinglets and Ruby Crowned Kinglets.

Mourning Cloak at Fry's Landing

Next was beach 11 to check out some remaining waterfowl and we also spotted Savannah Sparrows. Jerry and the rest of the class headed for the TREC for the Hawk Festival while I and three others decided to check out fry's landing. I am so glad we did because I spotted my first butterfly of the season. I had read on some blogs that the Mourning Cloaks were out and I danced as I saw one flitter by and land on a White Birch Tree. I posted my sketch of the Mourning Cloak on a group blog Sketching in Nature and on my blog next.

Here is our bird list from Saturday minus the Hawk Watch which you can get here and I updated that list to show the actual counts.

Canada Goose--several throughout
Wood Duck-- a pair in a tree next to the banding station
Gadwall--a few in Thompson Bay
American Wigeon--a few in Thompson Bay
Mallard--at least a couple off beach 11
Lesser Scaup--several off beach 11
Bufflehead--many off beach 11
Red-breasted Merganser--many off beach 11
Double-crested Cormorant--many at Gull Point
Great Blue Heron--four near the Great Horned Owls nest
American Coot--many in Thompson Bay
Ring-billed Gull--a few at various sites
Herring Gull--a few at various sites
Caspian Tern--at least a couple over Thompson Bay
Mourning Dove--a few at various sites
Great Horned Owl--one on the nest
Belted Kingfisher--one heard
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker--one at Fry's landing, seen by some of the class
Downy Woodpecker--a couple heard doing their territorial drumming
Northern Flicker--common everywhere
Pileated Woodpecker--one near the Great Horned Owls nest
Eastern Phoebe--three or four on Pine Tree trail
Blue Jay--a couple at beach 11 parking lot area
American Crow--several everywhere
Black-capped Chickadee--a couple on Pine Tree Trail
White-breasted Nuthatch--one near the Great Horned Owls nest
Brown Creeper--one on Pine Tree trail
Winter Wren--one heard singing along Pine Tree Trail
Golden-crowned Kinglet--a few on Pine Tree Trail
Ruby-crowned Kinglet--a few on Pine Tree Trail
American Robin--a few at various sites
European Starling--a few overhead at various sites
Yellow-rumped Warbler--a few along Pine Tree trail
Eastern Towhee--one heard along Pine Tree Trail and one at Fry's landing
Chipping Sparrow--five or six in beach 11 parking lot
Dark-eyed Junco--several at Beach 11 parking lot
Song Sparrow--several at various sites
Red-winged Blackbird--many around
Common Grackle--many around, especially overhead
Brown-headed Cowbird--a few mixed in blackbird flocks
Purple Finch--one on Pine tree Trail
Pine Siskin--8 or 10 on Pine Tree Trail

Jerry McWilliams (Instructor)

Hawk Watch review

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:03:00 +0000

Hawk Watch Participants

Saturday had a few wisps of clouds fading into blue skies and glorious sunshine. I knew the minute I got up it was going to be an awesome day filled with activities from one end of the park to the other. The temperature reached the 60's and by late morning the main sidewalk path at PI was filled with walkers, runners and cyclists donning shades, shorts and short sleeve tops. It doesn't take much for sun worshipers to get out and enjoy all that PI has to offer. Midway into the park hundreds of parents and kids gathered at the waterworks ponds for the first day of Trout Fishing and the bay was also filled with fishermen and boats.

Jen Brumfield

Our birding class had our usual rounds with the last half of class heading off to the entrance to the park at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC) for the Hawk Watch Festival. Upon arrival Jen Brumfield, an artist working for Clevelands Metroparks as a naturalist and teacher, was on hand constantly pointing for us in the distant sky the birds of prey migrating overhead. She was amazing and dazzled us as she could spot, count and tell you exactly which birds they were. Several people gathered with binoculars and scopes trying to follow her giving off the directional path of the hawks. Several times you could hear "I don't see it!" then finally capturing it's view in our scopes you would hear "Wow".

And if seeing the distant birds was not enough Presque Isle Audubon had the Tamarack Wildlife and Rehabilitation Center on hand for a closer view of birds of prey. Tamarack specializes in the rescue, treatment and release of injured, orphaned and sick wildlife. Additionally, Tamarack provides public education programs and materials on the behavior, feeding habits, and natural habitats of many of Pennsylvania’s species of wildlife. For more information on Tamarack please visit their site. Below are some of Tamaracks educational birds of prey.

Red Tail Hawk

Cooper Hawk

Saw Whet Owl

Barred Owl

Here is the list of birds spotted over the TREC on Saturday. I'll post the rest of our bird list on my post about the class tomorrow.

Bird list update 4/20/09: I received the count for the Hawk Watch. The list now shows the numbers counted.

Migrant raptors:
Turkey Vulture--68
Osprey--4
Northern Harrier--7
Sharp-shinned Hawk--94
Cooper's Hawk--6
Broad-winged hawk--14
Red-tailed Hawk--23
Rough-legged Hawk--1 (light morph)
American Kestrel--61
Merlin--1
Unidentified accipiter--5
Unidentified buteo--1
Unidentified falcon--2

Migrant non-raptors:
Double-crested Cormorant--46
Great Blue Heron--4
Chimney Swift--2
Northern Flicker--95
American Crow--8
swallow (mostly Barn and Tree)--20+

Jerry McWilliams
Erie, Erie County, Pa.

Hawk Watch April 18th

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:09:00 +0000

Update: yes this is Michele's photo of the Osprey. I don't mean to confuse people.
I'm sure some will be spotted on Saturday also. posted by Toni

Just a reminder that tomorrow Saturday, April 18th is the 5th Annual Hawk Watch at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC) from 9am to 1pm.

A free family event sponsored by Presque Isle Audubon Society and DCNR...spy hawks as they migrate along the Lake Erie shoreline, participate in fun family birding activities occurring throughout the grounds, and discover all that the TREC has to offer.

I'll be there after my birding class around 11:30 and tomorrows weather looks promising. I would love to meet you and join in the experience of counting hawks.

Check out the calendar below for more activities on Presque Isle.

Joe Root: The Hermit of Presque Isle...

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:05:00 +0000

The Hermit of Presque Isle, Joe Root

photo courtesy A. DeSarro and the DCNR

...or was he "The King of the Peninsula"? Whichever moniker you choose, it cannot be denied that Joe Root was one of the most colorful characters ever to set foot on Presque Isle! Joe Root was, indeed, the original Presque isle-ophile. Like many of us may like to at times (except maybe in the winter), he moved to Presque Isle and made it his home. Although he was considered "mysterious" and "a hermit" there are a few consistent bits of information running through Joe Root lore.
Joe Root was born in 1860 and as a young man became a fisherman's apprentice and later a fisherman. Apparently not happy just fishing at Presque Isle, he decided to make it his permanent residence. He built shanties out of driftwood and whatever suitable materials washed up on the shores of the peninsula. He sustained himself by fishing, hunting and collecting fruits and berries, especially cranberries that were once very abundant on the park. He would also occasionally charm picnickers into sharing their lunches. It is said that the diminutive bearded man who walked with a limp and wore an old felt hat entertained children and adults alike with his excellent ventriloquism skills. He would pretend to carry on conversations with his hat or a hollow tree stump. He also delighted the children with his bird calls and his stories about his unseen friends, the Jee Bees, who possessed an uncanny knack for predicting the weather.
On his rare trips into town Joe would discuss strange business ideas in exchange for a drink or two. One of his business schemes included building a hot air balloon factory on or near Presque Isle to shuttle people back and forth between Erie and Buffalo. Joe's favorite idea appeared to be the creation of a circus whose main act would involve a tightrope strung between the peninsula and the mainland across which wild animals would be transported in a wheelbarrow.
Eccentric but harmless appears to be the consensus regarding the inimitable Joe Root. Like many before and after him, Joe's eccentricity may have been his downfall. It is said that Joe was the victim of a scheme to have him removed from his beloved Presque Isle for fear that he would claim squatter's rights to the peninsula. It was claimed that Joe had been involved in a violent altercation and he was removed from Presque Isle under a shroud of secrecy and committed to Warren State Mental Hospital (WSMH) in Warren, PA on April 14, 1910. Longing to return to his beloved Presque Isle, he died at WSMH two years later .

In remembrance and honor of this original Presque Isle-ophile, Toni and Michele are creating column called, Ask Joe Root. We invite any and all questions you may have about Presque Isle. Just e-mail your questions to AskJoeRoot@gmail.com and we will do whatever we can to answer your questions for you...even if it means channeling Joe Root himself!

Upcoming topics in Presque Isle, Naturally, an interview with author, Gene Ware about his new book, Across the Pond. Also, information about the PIAS Eagle Watch Program including and interview with Tom Wasilewski of the Eagle Watch Program. Any other topics you'd like to see covered? E-mail suggestions to PINaturally@gmail.com.

Migrating Birds week 3

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:28:00 +0000

Brown Creeper found at Fry's Landing: photo by Michele

Saturday was cold but not like last week and the sun warmed our faces every now and then. We have some photos for you this week. Michele was trying out a new lens. I'll let her tell you about it. This week Jerry had us back and forth from the bay and other water ways to the inland trails. My favorites are the trails but after three weeks of looking at water fowl I'm starting to recognize the difference and appreciating their color. Same for the gulls. I wonder if everyone started out like me. You know a bird is a bird and duck is a duck and a gull is a gull. I'll admit I did not know much about our avian friends. Over the years I have become fascinated with their personalities, coloring, and habits. For me there is so much expression in their every move. And to think how far they fly for the summer and winter season. They are amazing.

Red-breasted Merganser: photo by Michele

Jerry has been so kind letting me post the list of birds we see each week. I'm terrible at remembering and should write them all down but we are so busy looking through scopes and our binoculars. So Jerry sends out an email with our list of birds.

We were excited to see our first warbler this year, a Yellow-rumped. We should start seeing more next week. We saw several Brown Creepers and Gold Crown Kinglets and should start seeing Ruby Crown Kinglets next week also.

Osprey seen at Sommerheim: photo by Michele

Michele and I want to make our blog more informed and fun so we are going to start a new weekly post called Ask Joe Root. Who is Joe Root you might ask, well Michele will answer that question in our next blog post. So in the meantime do you have any questions about Presque Isle? If so write them down and you can ask Joe Root. Michele will give you the details and the legendary Joe Root. So stay tuned.

White Birch: photo by Toni (always looking for something to paint)

Here is what you can look for on Presque Isle this week:
We recorded 41 species of birds including the following:

Canada Goose--several at various sites
Wood Duck-- a couple passing by the west pier
Mallard-- a couple of pairs and single males at various sites
Ring-necked Duck-- a couple in Marina Bay and a few in Niagara Pond
Greater Scaup--several off the west pier
Lesser Scaup--several throughout
Bufflehead--several throughout, but mostly off the west pier
Common Goldeneye--several off the west pier
Red-breasted Merganser--common everywhere
Common Loon--three or four off Niagara boat launch
Double-crested cormorant--one off the second parking lot and one or two at the channel
Great Egret--three in Niagara Pond
Turkey Vulture--four over the channel
Bald Eagle--one adult over Long Pond
American Kestrel--one along Pine Tree Trail
American Coot--many off the second parking lot, beach 11, and a couple in Niagara Pond
Killdeer--two in beach 11 parking lot
Bonaparte's Gull--many at various sites
Ring-billed Gull--a few overhead and over the bay
Herring Gull--a few overhead and over the bay
Caspian Tern--one over Misery Bay and four or five at the channel
Mourning Dove--four or five along Pine Tree Trail
Red-bellied Woodpecker--one heard at the west pier
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker--two at Thompson Circle
Downy Woodpecker--three or four at various sites
Northern Flicker--several throughout
Blue Jay--one at Fry's landing
American Crow--several throughout
Tree Swallow--many over Horseshoe Pond
Barn Swallow--one over the channel and two or three over Horseshoe Pond
Black-capped Chickadee--several along Pine Tree Trail and Fry's Landing
White-breasted Nuthatch--one or two at Thompson Circle
Brown Creeper--several at Fry's landing
Golden-crowned Kinglet--several on Pine Tree Trail and Fry's landing
American Robin--several everywhere
European Starling--a few flying over the road along West Fisher Drive
Yellow-rumped Warbler--one at Fry's landing
Song Sparrow--a few at various sites, especially along beach 11 parking lot
Dark-eyed Junco--one at Thompson Circle
Northern Cardinal--one heard singing and another along beach 11 parking lot
Red-winged Blackbird--several throughout
Brown-headed Cowbird--singles heard or seen briefly at a few sites

Jerry McWilliams (Instructor)

Michele, Julie and Julie's nephew Christian saw and photographed the Osprey.

What happened to Spring?

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:48:00 +0000

I was on my way down to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center for one of our Bird Festival meetings when a snow blizzard hit. Never fails it seems we get a Spring snow fall every year and now all my daffodils are nearly flat on the ground from the wet heavy snow. If we can get past this week I'm sure we will be well on our way to warmer weather and all the activities coming up on Presque Isle.

Eastern Phoebe sketch

The photo above is the sketch I did for a painting I'm about to begin. Had to show at least one photo because Saturday's Birding class was cold, cold and windy and I didn't get any photos. Since it was so cold our instructor Jerry knew there would not be much action on the trails and one of the trails was washed over with water. So we stayed close to the bay side looking at waterfowl. The most exciting spotting was when Julie spotted two Great White Egrets behind some Phragmites at the Thompson Bay Area. I'm sure next Saturday's class will be warmer with more bird sightings.

So before I give you our list from this week I want to bring to your attention the calendar of events that you will find at the bottom of our page. We will try to keep it up to date but if you know of any activity going on at the park let us know and we will list it. April 18th will be an active day at PI State Park and here are the events for that day. The annual Hawk Watch will be from 9 am till 1 pm at the TREC. The 18th is also the first day of Trout Fishing and there will be a special children's area at the East Waterworks pond on the park. And for the artist in you there is a series of classes with artist Lee Steadman and writer John Repp on interpreting Presque Isle's natural world. Please call the TREC to register for the workshop but no registration is required for the Hawk Watch. For more information on events and programs by the DCNR and the TREC go here.

Our list of birds this week:
Canada Goose—several at various sites
Wood Duck—at least 15 flying over Thompson Bay, and three or four in Horseshoe Pond
Gadwall—a few in Thompson Bay and in Niagara Pond
American Wigeon—single males in Thompson Bay and Misery Bay
Mallard—a few pairs at various sites
Green-winged Teal—three flying out of Horseshoe Pond
Canvasback—many in Thompson Bay
Ring-necked Duck—several in Niagara Pond and a few flying over Thompson Bay
Greater Scaup—several off Niagara boat launch and in Thompson Bay
Lesser Scaup—many at various sites, but most were in Niagara Pond
Bufflehead—a few at various sites
Common Goldeneye—several off Niagara boat launch and off beach 11
Hooded Merganser—a single female in Horseshoe Pond
Common Mergnaser--a pair off Niagara boat launch and flying out of Thompson Bay
Red-breasted Merganser—many everywhere on the bay
Ruddy Duck—three in Thompson Bay
Common Loon—one flying high over Presque Isle Bay off the second parking lot and one flying out to the lake.
Horned Grebe—one in Thompson Bay
Great Blue Heron—one at Niagara Pond
Great Egret—two in Thompson Bay
American Kestrel—one flew past Pine Tree Trail
American Coot—many in Misery Bay and few in Thompson Bay
Bonaparte’s Gull—100’s, mostly off Niagara boat launch, Thompson Bay, Misery Bay, and the channel
Ring-billed Gull—several flying overhead
Herring Gull—several flying overhead and over open water
Great Black-backed Gull—singles off Niagara boat launch, Thompson Bay, and Long Pond
Caspian Tern—about 8 or ten over Thompson Bay and at least one over Misery Bay
Mourning Dove—a couple over beach 11
Belted Kingfisher—two males off the second parking lot
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker—one male at the west pier
Northern Flicker—one at the channel
Eastern Phoebe—one along the road near beach 11 and one near Niagara Pond
Blue Jay—one heard along Long Pond
American Crow—several throughout
Tree Swallow—one at Thompson Bay
American Robin—several at various sites
Eastern Towhee—one or two heard along Pine Tree Trail and Thompson Bay
Song Sparrow—two or three along the road and one singing at the second parking lot
Red-winged Blackbird—many overhead
Common Grackle—many overhead
Brown-headed Cowbird—many overhead

Jerry McWilliams (Instructor)

Alien Deer at Presque Isle!

noreply@blogger.com (MicheleRF) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:18:00 +0000

[Sounds of a noisy newsroom]...We must pre-empt our regularly scheduled blogram, Where in the World is the Hairy Puccoon?, to bring you this breaking news. Strange alien creatures have been observed wandering Presque Isle State Park. These beings, posing as mild-mannered deer, can be seen grazing throughout the park at all times of day. AND, they have been here for years without their cloak of deceit being detected. It is not until a recent dusk photo shoot that their true nature was revealed! Look at these pictures and see why their ruse has gone undetected for so long.

--------BY DAY--------

Look at this beauty! So seemingly sweet and innocent.Here I am, just minding my own business. Yeah, right!

--------BY NIGHT--------

Now, look at these photos taken on a recent evening.

Not so innocent looking now are they!!

After these photos were shot the "deer" ambled away having no clue that whatever their plot is, it may soon be uncovered. Speculation in the newsroom has been that these creatures are EATING the tasty grasses and acorns Presque Isle provides. OH, the mammality!

Presque Isle, Naturally ace reporters interviewed several resident woodland creatures to get their reactions to this expose.

"Well, I've been trying to lose a little weight, so I don't have a problem with the deer eating some of the acorns. Those unsightly droppings, however, are another story! Do you ever see squirrel scat all over the trails, NO! And another thing...."

"I think they're nice. Wait...did you say they eat acorns...? Why those (*&(#*&#s!!"Hiss, hiss!Frankly, I think it stinks!!

We tried to reach the grass eating deer for comment but none were willing to be interviewed.

[More noisy newsroom sounds followed by muffled conversation] What? Deers' eyes reflect the flash back? It's normal? SO...they're not aliens? Oh, man, I feel like an idiot.

Good news folks! It seems there has been a misunderstanding here at the station and the deer in question are just your standard white-tails. Sorry for the interruption, we now return you to our regularly scheduled blogramming.

Spring Migration

noreply@blogger.com (Toni Kelly) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:12:00 +0000

Eastern Phoebe

It's that time of year when we can hardly wait to shed our winter coats and bask in the sunshine.
I also love the smell of the earth as she gets washed in Spring rains, the scent of new growth popping up and the buds beginning to swell on the trees. There is a renewed energy in the air as we get outdoors to absorb the sights, smells and sounds of Spring.

And on birding blogs I'm sure you are reading about birds returning to their Summer grounds and some have already begun to incubate their eggs like our Great Horned Owl on the park. Presque Isle is considered one of the major stop overs for many birds migrating North before crossing the Great Lakes. Last Friday after work I treated myself to some trail walking and had a lifer for me. I was on B trail when I came across some Eastern Phoebes. Then Saturday morning began our bird class with Jerry McWilliams. Michele and I consider Jerry our guru of birds. Jerry is also conducting Hawk Watches at the TREC in the parking lot from about 10:00 to 3:00. Stop by and check out the Hawk migration with Jerry. We will have more on the big Hawk Watch coming up in April.

Eastern Phoebe

For the next 8 weeks I will present our list of birds we see each week in class or otherwise. There is a link to a map of the park in our top navigation bar. This is a pdf file you can download and print if you wish. The list will indicate where the birds were sited and now you can find the area on the map.
Note: The waterfowl migrating through will be leaving soon so if you live nearby get out soon before they are gone.
Here is our class list:
Canada Goose—several at various sites
Gadwall—a pair in Niagara Pond
American Wigeon—a pair in Horseshoe Pond
American Black Duck—a pair flying out of Niagara Pond
Mallard—a few pairs at various sites
Northern Shoveler—at least a couple of males in Niagara Pond
Green-winged Teal—brief looks at a male in Niagara Pond
Canvasback—several in Thompson Bay
Redhead—several in Thompson Bay
Ring-necked Duck—many in Niagara Pond
Greater Scaup—several off Niagara boat launch and in Thompson Bay
Lesser Scaup—most common duck on the park, most were in Thompson Bay and Niagara Pond
Bufflehead—a few at various sites
Common Goldeneye—several off Niagara boat launch
Hooded Merganser—a few in Thompson Bay and Horseshoe Pond
Red-breasted Merganser--a few off Niagara boat launch
Wild Turkey—one at beach 11
Horned Grebe—one in Marina Bay
Great Blue Heron—one or two off beach 11 and in Niagara Pond
Bald Eagle—one adult over Misery Bay and later Michele, Julie and I saw one fly over Sommerheim across from Vista 1
American Coot—many off the second parking lot and in Misery Bay
Killdeer—a few at various sites
Bonaparte’s Gull—25 or so over Misery Bay and about 15 over the road near the eagles nest
Ring-billed Gull—several flying overhead
Herring Gull—several flying overhead
Mourning Dove—a couple over Pine Tree Trail
Great Horned Owl—one on the nest near Duck Pond Trail
Downy Woodpecker—a few doing the territorial drumming
Hairy Woodpecker—one at Thompson Circle
Northern Flicker—at least three at various sites
Eastern Phoebe—a couple on B-trail and Pine Tree Trail
Blue Jay—a few along Pine Tree Trail
Wood Duck—two flying over Thompson Bay